Fluid actuated hammer



Jan. 11, 1938. E, Q EPPENS 2,105,074

FLUID ACTUATED HAMMER INVENTOR I/ HIS ATTORNEY,

Jan. 11, 1938. E. G. EPPENS 2,105,074

FLUID ACTUATED HAMMER Filed Aug. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nl Y II'I, 100 o I Hilf 57 101 lg 105/ INVENTOR 106 Zweszljafem HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 1l, 17938 "porationofNewJersey n Application :August 26, 193e, serial No. 160,958

This invention relates to iiud actuatedhammers, and :more .particularly to'uid Sactuated hammers of the type =employedlior ldifop'sforging and similar purposes. l Y A One `object of 'the inventionis to .ilimit the power' consumption of the hammer toisubstantially that required for performing useful iw'ork.

:Another object is' to render thehammerread- Y ily :responsive 'to 'the will fofthe operator.

`OtherV objects will be in Ap'a'rftfobvious "and lin part pointedfout hereinafter.

' In the drawings accompanying this specifica` tion and in which similar refei'erl1cef1numeral's refer totsimil'arparts. w 1

Figure 1 is a perspectiveY viewlinielevatlon, part- 1y broken away, of a viiuid.iactuatetlhamr'ner'con-f structed inaccordance withV thel practice oithe invention, Y I

AFigure 2 .is-an elevation, partly in section, fof

a portion of the Ahammerincluding the "valve mechanism and the elementsA whereby 'thel valve mechanism is controlled, tlie"=latte1"being "shown Vit in diagrammatic arrangement, iand Figures'fS and -4V are transvers'evviewstaken through Figure '2 on the lines-'13-31aridf4-i4, 1re-V spectively. v'

Referring more f particularly to A"the drawings! the hammer, designated fin `its *entirety by "-20; comprises the usual mainirame 'consisting di a pair of columns i2' l "between Vwhich is interposed' an anvil 22 to support a fstationaryfdifmerriber Seated 'on the columns `is a vertical cylinder'24 having a piston chamber? 25 to ac coinrriodateia reciprocatory piston 2 6. Suitable fclo'sure's Tlf-andV 28 are provided lforgthe upper Iand flower vends',

respectively, of the cylinder; 'and that desi-gn'atid 28 serves the .[addit'ionalfunct'ion di *a guide fior a piston rod'29 carrying -a rarn`"30 whihfin turnf carries a complementary fdie'imeniberfl.

The parts so far enumerated', 'their {arrangement and mode of lioinrati-on farejlwell known. They form noipart ofthe present inveifiti'onlwhich is concerned more particularly Awi'thffthe :Valve mechanism designatedinlts eritirety`byi32wheeby the'action of the piston"26lsfcontrolledg i The valve mechanism'3-2ispreferably-farranged immediatelyl adjacent thelcylinder 24. Itcfomprises a distributing valve 133 which; ffectsftiie distribution of 'pressuref'fluidltothe piston fclfiami ber 25 for actuating "thelpist'on' ian-a'contrl valve 34 which'serves, am-onglotlier un'ctionsgf to f control thel admiss'oniioi pressure Yfluidf-fr'om a source vofssupply to .thefdistributin :The distributing xvalve, 33=isfibf andiis reciprocable `ina valvefchamber f-35 deiined bya bushing 36larrangedlinafvalve chest :31 acijacent lth'e cylinder 24. :Thevalve 33 comprises a!l stem l38 .rand an end head' 9 4which :controls j communication `between the valve .chambers35 andansinle't .passage 4D in thevalvechesti31 andV the cylinder 24 .and openingiintothef'lower tend of the lpistorichamber 2.5.1 The valvezhas a Asecond head "4|,1intermediate its ends,,to Ycontrol communication :between the fvalve chamber ":35

:indian .inlet passage '42 leading vto .the 'upper 'end ofthe pisto-n chamber 25. u

:T51-he :distributing lvalve Lmay, as illustrated, libe arranged'in Va vertical 'position faniiiin' the portion 43 oi the valve lying .above theheadiM .areiports 4`4 'to ai'ord lcommunication :between ,-theriri'let' passage 42 and the interior 45 Vof the I valve through which fluid may iexhaustfrom theu'pper portion 'of theJ-piston `chamber 25 tothe atmos' phere. `11n `lathe structure shown :such :exhaust uidfl'ows froinlthe interior of the valve into'aV lbore'f46 contairiingthebushing 36', thence to the atmosphere throughra `port 41 `in `the 'wallrof the valve chest. Y Y Y :Totheend that the -valve 33 maybe caused tov assume *the fposition necessar-y;to establish communication `between the upperiporticnf of the piston chamber andthe atmosphere aspringfd iszfinterlposed :between :the upper :end of thevalve and'ithe `inner end` surface '49 of a'doine 50` at the top .'o'f'the bushing 3'6. The spring l'48 actsto depress theflvalve=33 for fthe purposesstated. and to 'establish communication between ythe Y valve chamber'f35fiandfthefinlet passage 40 for admitting. pressure iluid into the lowermost-end ofthe piston chamber 25. i i

The forceemployed fcr movinglthe valve 33 upwardly to establish communicationbetween the inlet vrpassage 42 and I the vallve chamber 'S3 5. is; as is customary in mechanism off this character, supplied by the-fpistonf2 5- Yand 'transmitted to `the valve ,133through suitable linkage A'coinrpr'isi'n'gV a rod 5l :having its upperend: 52 pivotally connectedtoitne fcorrespondingfend nof the valvef'33. The

ro'd5l 'extends through the valve and `its lower end4 i's 'ipivotally connected to the lfree iextremityv of' anfarm 53 which' is .arranged in angulairelaf tionshipwithrespect tothe irod` 5i rand .may be ceive the end of a depending link 56 which is pivotally connected to the arm 55 and the other end is connected in like manner to the free end of an arm 51 arranged at substantially a right angle to the link 56. The arm 51 is keyed to a shaft 58 and held thereon by a nut 59.

The shaft 58 is freely rotatable in a bearing 60 carried by a rocker arm 6| pivotally mounted upon the projecting end of a shaft 62 supported by the adjacent column 2|. The shaft 62 extends through an intermediate portion of the rocker arm 6| and a nut 63 threaded on the shaft 62 acts against the outermost surface of the rocker arm to retain it on the shaft.

The shaft 62 and, therefore, the elements which it supports is so arranged that the shaft 58 lies closely adjacent the path of movement of the ram 30 and to the shaft 58 is keyed a depending finger 64 having a convex surface 65 for engagement with an inclined surface 66 on the side of the ram 30. The arrangement is such that as the ram 30 is raised the surface 66 moves into engagement with the concave surface 65 and rocks the nger outwardly. This movement of the finger is transmitted through the arm 51 and associated linkage to the valve for actuating it in the direction required to communicate the inlet passage 42 with the valve chamber 35.

During the descending movement of the ram the inclined surface 66 is, of course, also lowered, thus permitting the nger 64 to move inwardly. The spring 48 will then depress the valve 33 and shift the linkage connected thereto to maintain the convex surface 65 of the finger 64 in contact with the inclined surface 66.

structurally, the control valve 34 may be a replica of the distributing valve 33. It is reciprocable in a valve chamber 61 in a bushing 68 arranged in the valve chest 31. The control valve has an external annular groove 69 which, in one limiting position of the valve, affords communication between' a supply conduit 10, attached to the valve chest, and a passage 1| connecting the valve chambers 61 and 35. The passage 1| opens into the valve chest 61 at a point above the supply conduit 10 and into the valve chamber 35 at a point intermediate the points ofA communication of the inlet passages 40 and 42 with the valve chamber 35. In another position of the valve 34 the annular groove 69 establishes communication between the supply conduit 10 and a supply passage 12 extending from the valve chamber 61 at a point below the supply conduit 10 and opening into the inlet passage 40.

On the upper end of the bushing 68 is a dome 13 forming a receptacle for a spring 14 which* acts against a shoulder 15 on the valve 34 to actuate the valve to its lowermost limiting position for cutting olf communication between the supply conduit 10 and the passage 1|.

Extending through the valve 34 is a rod 16 of which the upper end 11 is pivotally connected to the upper end 18 of the valve 34 and the lower end of the rod 16 is connected in like manner to an arm 19 which may be afixed, in any suitable manner, toy an end of a rocker shaft journalled in the casing of the hammer. Keyed to the end of the rocker shaft 80 isa second arm 8| which lies in the same horizontal plane as the arm 19 but extends in an opposite direction. From its free end depends a cable.82 whichis attached to the end of a rocker 83 mounted pivotally upon a bo1t'f84 seated in the column 2| that supports the rocker arm 6|.

The rocker 83 and the elements connecting it with the valve 34 are actuated by manual force applied to a treadle 85 in front of the hammer. The treadle is mounted upon a rod 86 journalled in bearings 81, of which only one is shown, and aflixed to the rod 86 is an arm 88 of which the free end is pivotally connected to an end of a link 89 having its other end connected to a pivot 90 seated in the rocker 83 at a point intermediate its ends.

The arrangement of the elements connecting the treadle 85 with the valve 34 is such that when the treadle 85 is tilted -downwardly movekment is transmitted through the various linkage to the valve 34 which is thereby raised to effect communication between the supply conduit 10 and the passage 1| and to compress the spring 14 which, upon the release of pressure against the treadle 85, will actuate the valve 34 downwardly and thus restore the linkage associated therewith, as well as the treadle 85, to their initial positions.

In. addition to its function of effecting the distribution of pressure fluid to the ends of the piston chamber during the normal operation of the hammer the distributing valve 33, or more particularly the head 4|, serves as a closure for the inlet passage 42 to seal the upper end of the piston chamber 25 during the time that the control valve 34 is in position to admit pressure fluid from the valve chamber 61 through the passages 12 and 4U into the lower end of the piston chamber. i

In order to accomplish this the valve is held in an intermediate position in which the head 4| overlies the adjacent end of the inlet passage 42. The means serving to maintain the valve 33 in this intermediate position are preferably associated with the elements imparting movement to the valves 33 and 34 and comprises a pair of stop members 9| and 92. In the arrangement shown the stopmember 92 is in the form of an upstanding finger on the rocker arm 6|, and the stop member 9| vconsists of a bar arranged slidably and rotatably on the link 56 to which it may be locked by a set screw 93 threaded into the bar 9| and seating against the link 56.

The bar 9| may be shifted longitudinally of the link 56 or rotated with respect thereto to maintain it in position for engagement with the free end of the finger 92 of which the arc of oscillation varies with variations of the length of the stroke of the piston 26 as determined by the nature and proportions of the articlebeing forged, and to which end the rocker arm 6| may require adjustment.

The means whereby such adjustment is effected comprises a rod 94 which connects the arm 6| ,with a wing 95 constituting the portion of the rocker arm 6| which carries the finger 92. An end 96 of the rod 94 is threadedly connected to a member 91 which may be secured in fixed position on the arm 8| by means of a bolt 98 extending through the arm 8|. Preferably, the bolt 98 is arranged in a slot 99 in the arm so that the member 91 may be conveniently shifted longitudinally of the arm 8|.

Intermediate the ends of the rod is an external shoulder |00 to seat upon the end of a bearing through which the portion |02 of the rod 94 below the shoulder |00 extends. On the side of the bearing is an integral pivot |03 which extends through an aperture |'04 in the free end of the wing and a nut |05 threaded on the pivot |03 secures the bearing on the wing 95.

The rod 94 is freely rotatable in the bearing p a hexagonal locking sleeve IIISftoV -,BQO

IUI and such movement'maybe imparted to the hexagonal shape as Visfalsothe adjacent end |08 of the bearing |0I, and arranged thereon is u prevent unauthorized movement of the rod |02'with respect to the bearing IIII.

l The sleeve |i09' has a; slide fit Vorrthe collar |01 and the portion |08 and whenever it is intended to effect an adjustment of the rocker arm 6| the sleeve |09 may be drawn out of engagement with the collar |01, whereupon the rod may" be rotated to increase or shorten'thedistancebetween the arm 8| and the wing 95 fof the rocker arm.

Whenever'it is intended to operate the device the operator depresses the treadle 85 and movement is thereby transmitted to the control valve 34, by the linkage connecting the two, for raising the control valve 34.V In this position of the control valve the annular recess will communicate the supply conduit 10 with the passage 1| and pressure fluid then iiows to the valve chamber 35 into the space between the heads 4I and 39 of the valve 33. Y

Inasmuch as the arm 8| is connected to the rocker arm 6| the position of the latter is also changed when the treadle 85 is depressed. In other words, the wing 65 of the rocker arm is .drawn downwardly and the finger 92 is moved out vof the plane of the bar 3l. The spring 48 will then act to shift the valve33 to its lowermost limiting position in which the space between the heads 4| and 39 affords communication between the passage 1| and the inlet passage 40 and pressure fluid flows from supply into the lower end of the piston chamber and drives the piston and its load upwardly. n Y

During the up-stroke of the piston the air isrexpelled from the upper portion of the piston chamber 25 through the inlet passage 42, the ports 44, the interior 45 of the valve and the free exhaust port 41, also during such movement the inclined surface 66 engages the surface 65 of the linger 64 and rocks it outwardly. Being attached to the shaft 58, the finger will, therefore, rock said shaft and elevate the free end of the arm 51. This movement of the arm 51 is transmitted through the link 56 tothe arms 55 and 53, thereby moving the valve 33 upwardly to a position in which the space between the valvev'heads establish communication between the passage 1| and the inlet passage 42.

In the new pressure fluid flows into the upper end of the piston chamber to impel the piston 26 on its working stroke and the head 39 will lie between the passage 1| and the inlet passage 40 so that the lower end of the Vpiston chamber will be in communication with the atmosphere through the passage 40, the portion 46 of the valve chamber 35 and the exhaust port 41. VThe piston 26 may then move freely downwardly so thatV a forceful blow will be struck against the work, and as the ram 30 descends the finger 64 will be rocked inwardly toward the ram by the spring 48. The described cycle of operation 'may be repeated to apply the required number ofV blows against the work, and when the article has been correctly forged the operator releasesV the treadle 85. The spring 14 will then act to push the con- Vton chamber forV actuating the piston,

Verable valve movable to position of the distributing valve valve, a control valve,

position. When the 'controlvalve reaches its lowermost limiting position the annular groove 69 will communicate the supply conduit 10 withthe supply passage 12 and pressure-huid will iiow directly from "supply through these channels into the inlet passage'40f and into the lower rendV of the cylinder to raise theV piston '26 'and its load.` 1

As the piston ascends the surface 66 willv trip the finger 6`4` and'raise the valve 33l toa position f injwhich vthe head 4I overlies the inletV passage 42 where it will be held by reason of the engagement between the bar 9| andthe linger :92, it

being understood that the valve 33 maynot complete'its downwardV stroke until the finger-92 is against rocked out of engagement with the bar. With the head 4|l in the position described airwill'be. entrapped` in the upper endv of the Vpiston chamberand the piston 26 will, therefore, move to an intermediate position in the piston chamber where it will be held immovable by the opposing 'forces acting against its ends luntil the control valve 34- is again raised to begin `a new period of operation.

I claim: Y Y

1. In a iluid actuated hammer, the combination of acasing having a Vpiston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, valve means to effect the distribution of pressure uid to the pisand other valve means for controlling the supply of pressure fluid to the first said valve means and to admit pressure fluid to one end of the piston chamber to hold the piston stationary.

2. In a fluid actuated hammer,.the combination of a casing having a vertical piston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, valve means to effect the distribution of pressure fluid to the piston chamber for actuating the piston, and other valve means movable independently of the rst said valve means for controlling the supply of pressure uid to the first said valve means and to admit pressure fluid into the lower endV of the piston chamber to support and hold the piston immovable.

3. In a uid actuated hammer, the combination Vof a casing having a vertical piston chamber and ,a reciprocatory piston therein, a valve to effect the distribution of pressure fluid to the piston chamber for actuating the piston and being itself actuated by the piston, and a manually oppressure fluid to the rst said valve and being movable to another position to valve pressure iluid into the lower end of the piston chamber to support and hold the piston immovable.

4. In a fluid actuated hammer, the combination of a casing having a vertical piston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, a valve to effect the distribution of pressure fluid to the piston chamber to cause reciprocation of the piston, means actuated by the piston for Vshifting the for shifting the control valve to admit pressure fluid to the distributing valve, and means for moving the control valve upon release of theV manually operable means to valve pressure fluid directly from supply into the lower end of the piston chamber for holding the piston immovable. 5. In a fluid actuated hammer, the combination of a casing having a vertical piston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, a valve chest having a valve chamber, inlet passages leading from the valve chamber to the piston chamber, a distrol valve 34 downwardly and shift the linkage" Vattached thereto to its idle one position to admitV manually operable meansA tributing valve in the valve chamber to control the inlet passages, and a control valve to selectively admit pressure fluid to the valve chamber for distribution by the rst said valve and to admit pressure iluid directly into one inlet passage to raise the piston and hold it immovable in the piston chamber.

6. In a uid actuated hammer, the combination of a casing having a vertical piston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, distributing and control valve chambers in the casing, inlet passages leading from the distributing Valve chamber to the ends of the piston chamber, a distributing valve in the distributing valve chamber to control the inlet passages, a supply passage in the casing leading from the control valve chamber to an inlet passage, a control valve in the control valve chamber movable to one position to valve pressure uid to the distributing Valve chamber and being movable to another position to valve pressure fluid through the supply passage and the associated inlet passage into the lower end of the piston chamber to raise the piston and hold it immovable in the piston chamber, and

means for maintaining the distributing valve in position to prevent communication between the distributing valve chamber and the piston chamber during the time the control Valve occupies the last mentioned position.

'7. In a uid actuated hammer, the combination of a casing having a vertical piston chamber and a reciprocatory piston therein, a valve chamber in the casing, upper and lower inlet passages leading from the valve chamber to the piston chamber, a valve in the valve chamber, means for moving the valve to limiting position to effect the alternate admission of pressure fluid from the valve chamber to the inlet passages, means for selectively admitting pressure uid from supply to the lower end of the piston chamber to raise the piston and hold it immovable in an intermediate position in the piston chamber, and means for maintaining the valve in position to seal the upper inlet passage to entrap cushioning fluid in the upper end of the piston chamber during the time the piston occupies such intermediate position.

ERNEST G. EPPENS. 

